A camera trap set up at the mouth of a cave captures a female cougar and her cub seeking refuge from the cold.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A camera trap set up at the mouth of a cave captures a female cougar and her cub seeking refuge from the cold.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

A camera-trap captures a cougar feeding on an elk carcass.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A camera-trap captures a cougar feeding on an elk carcass.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

A researcher aims a dart gun at a cougar, in order to sedate and collar it with a GPS-tracking device. Biologists in South Dakota are studying the cougar population and their movements in an attempt to prove to local hunters that cougars are not responsible for the lack of elk and deer in the forests.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A researcher aims a dart gun at a cougar, in order to sedate and collar it with a GPS-tracking device. Biologists in South Dakota are studying the cougar population and their movements in an attempt to prove to local hunters that cougars are not responsible for the lack of elk and deer in the forests.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

A sedated cougar is carefully lowered from a tree, so that it can be fitted with a GPS collar to track its movements.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A sedated cougar is carefully lowered from a tree, so that it can be fitted with a GPS collar to track its movements.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

After sedating a male cougar, members of the Teton Cougar Project collect blood samples, measure and weigh the cat, then fit it with a satellite collar to track its movements.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

After sedating a male cougar, members of the Teton Cougar Project collect blood samples, measure and weigh the cat, then fit it with a satellite collar to track its movements.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

A cougar is fitted with a GPS collar to monitor its movement.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A cougar is fitted with a GPS collar to monitor its movement.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

A cougar returns to feed on an elk carcass.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A cougar returns to feed on an elk carcass.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

A four-month-old cub feeds on an elk carcass.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A four-month-old cub feeds on an elk carcass.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

A dead cougar, shot on the last day of the hunting season, hangs in a cooler at a South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks office. The hunter said the animal was killing wild turkeys on his property.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A dead cougar, shot on the last day of the hunting season, hangs in a cooler at a South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks office. The hunter said the animal was killing wild turkeys on his property.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

Hunters admire the work a taxidermist has done on a cougar one of them shot the previous season.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

Hunters admire the work a taxidermist has done on a cougar one of them shot the previous season.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

A cougar walks a trail in California's Griffith Park, having just crossed two busy highways.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A cougar walks a trail in California's Griffith Park, having just crossed two busy highways.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

A cougar takes a stroll in Griffith Park, home of the famous HOLLYWOOD sign.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

for National Geographic

A cougar takes a stroll in Griffith Park, home of the famous HOLLYWOOD sign.
Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

Cougars

Nature, first prize stories

A camera trap set up at the mouth of a cave captures a female cougar and her cub seeking refuge from the cold.

Cougars, once in decline, have for the past 40 years been making a comeback across the western United States—though they remain extremely elusive. The cats are protected in California and Florida, but prized game in 13 other states. The success of the recovery in cougar numbers depends in part on where the public will tolerate them, and on strategies for dealing with the difficulties of interaction between humans and cougars in populated regions.

Steve Winter

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About the photographer

Steve Winter

American photographer Steve Winter started taking photos as a child while growing up in rural Indiana. After graduating from the Academy of Art and the University of San Francisco, Winter signed on as a photojournalist for Black Star Photo Agency. Since then, he has produced stories for GEO, Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Natural History, Audubon, BusinessWeek, Scientific American, and Stern, among other publications.

He became a National Geographic photojournalist in 1991. Since then, he has covered many subjects for the magazine, including Cuba, Russia's giant Kamchatka bears, tigers in Myanmar's Hukawng Valley, and life along Myanmar's Irrawaddy River.

Winter has been named BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and BBC Wildlife Photojournalist of the Year. He was a two-time winner of Picture of the Year International’s Global Vision Award and twice won the first prize in the nature category from World Press Photo.

In November 2013, National Geographic published his photography book Tigers Forever: Saving the World’s Most Endangered Cat, with text written by Sharon Guynup and co-sponsored by Panthera, the world's leader in Big Cat Conservation. Winter currently lives with his wife, son, and pets in New Jersey, USA.

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